Social Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (Seca)

SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SPECIAL ENHANCEMENT CLASSES IN THE ARTS (SECA)
STUDENTS: BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIO-ACADEMIC SCALE

Genalee C. Villanueva

An undergraduate thesis submitted to the faculty of Cavite State University- Imus Campus, Imus City, Cavite in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Contribution No:_________. Prepared under the supervision of Ms. Janine Gale Fernandez-Ikan.

INTRODUCTION

Education is a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability. The immense impact of education in humanity cannot be completely and precisely measured. As a matter of fact, everything that is happening around is its products. Formal education, for instance, has greatly contributed in shaping an individual’s personality, views and philosophies in life. Education indeed is one of the roads to success that is why most of people have given much effort, especially parents, to encourage the progress of students in schools. Parents care about their child’s academic performance because they believe good academic results will provide more career choices and job security.
Academic performance refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers. Academic results can be determined by the grades a student earns. It is believed that high grades determine a good academic performance while low grade indicates poor academic performance. No single factor can affect the grades of students. Aside from intelligence, there are other factors which influence the academic performance of students. At the present time, many teenagers, especially those who are in secondary school have poor academic performance. Almost all of existing environmental and personal factors are variable of academic performance. However, the researcher would like to investigate about the social factors such as family, peer relations, media, school and romantic involvement and to identify whether these social factors could affect the academic performance of the Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School.
The Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School served as the key participants of this study. They were the ones who were able to give pertinent information on the subject at hand.
The Special Program in the Arts (SPA) is a program for students with potential talents in the arts, namely, music, visual arts, theater arts, media arts, creative writing and dance. The program offers a comprehensive secondary education centered in the arts, covering a range of art forms and disciplines. To be considered a school with SPA, a minimum offering of five art areas is required. However, a school may start to offer less than five areas while preparing to become one. Arts education is an integral component of a balanced educational program and also provides the background for post-secondary level work.
The Special Program in the Arts (SPA) of Imus National High School is a similar program with the one being offered and promoted by the Department of Education. However, there were some changes incorporated in the program to suit with the new curriculum offered by the Department of Education under the K to 12 Curriculum. While on the process of finalizing the curriculum for SPA in the new curriculum, Imus National High School will pilot the implementation for Grade 7 using the same standards prescribed for that grade level and work hand and hand with the Department of Education for proper implementation of its programs.
The Special Program for the Arts of Imus National High School aims to: 1. Provide an opportunity for students to venture on the different art forms and help them decide for an art-related career as they advance in their schooling; 2. Promote a more meaningful learning experience for the learners and the teachers alike while using the community as laboratory for learning; 3. Instil nationalism among the learners and promote pride for the Filipino culture and identity; 4. Develop a more dynamic, life-changing, and innovative teaching and learning experience among the teachers and the learners; 5. Develop and guide young artists in enhancing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards an art-inspired career and in nation-building; 6. Recognize the role and participation of local artists and art practitioners in promoting their crafts for the benefit of the community and the nation as a whole; and 7. Strengthen school and community partnership.
Statement of the Problem The general objective of this study was to determine and analyze the social factors that influence the academic performance of the Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School.
Specifically, the study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the SECA students in terms of: a. Age b. Gender c. Parents’ Monthly Income d. Grade Point Average 2. What degree of influence do SECA students get from the social factors such as: a. Family b. Peer relations c. Media d. School e. Romantic involvement 3. Is there a significant relationship between the social factors and students’ academic performance? 4. What is the most dominant social factor that affects the students’ academic performance?

Objectives of the Study This study came up with the following research objectives: 1. To determine the profile of the SECA students in terms of: a. Age b. Gender c. Parents’ monthly income d. Grade Point Average 2. To identify the degree of influence that SECA students get from the social factors such as: a. Family b. Peer relations c. Media d. School e. Romantic involvement 3. To identify if the social factors correlate with the students’ academic performance. 4. To determine the most dominant social factor that affects the students’ academic performance.

Hypothesis
Ho: There is no significant relationship between academic performance and social factors.
Significance of the Study
The findings accumulated by this study will be of benefit to the following:
Students. This would enable students to have an insight about the social factors affecting their academic performance. Thus, they can resolve or find ways to evade the possible adverse effects they have on their academic performance.
Parents. This study would give awareness and inform the students’ parents about the social factors that have good/bad effect on their children. This would enable them to guide their children on their studies especially on their performance at school.
Teachers. This study would hopefully be of a reference value or be of use in certain classroom teachings or lecture. This would enable them to help students cope with their studies in spite of the social factors affecting it.
Readers / Future Researchers. This study can offer insights to readers and future researchers that might be interested in making further studies or use it as reference.

Scope and Limitations
This study focused mainly on the social factors affecting the academic performance of the Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School.
The study delimited itself to the following: the profile of the participants to their age, gender, parents’ monthly income and grade point average. The attainment of the objective of this study was dependent on the answers of the respondents. With regards to academic performance, the researcher got the GPA of the participants during the third grading period of SY 2012 to 2013 since the study was conducted during the fourth grading period.
The participants of this study were limited only to the SECA students of Imus National High School during school year 2012 to 2013. Further, the research is concentrated only to Imus National High School as the key and the only location of the study.

Operational Definition of Terms
As used in this study, the following terms are hereby defined:
Academic Performance. It refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their professors/teachers. It is indicated by the SECA’s GPA during the third grading period.
Family. It is a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.
Mass Media. It is a communication—whether written, broadcast, or spoken—that reaches a large audience. This includes television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and so forth.
Peer Relation. It is a group of individuals or entities who share similar characteristics and interests. Peer groups, in the case of people, have characteristics which include similarities such as socio-economic status, level of education, and ethnic background and so on amongst its individual members.
Romantic Involvement. It is relating to, imbued with, or characterized by romance evoking or given to thoughts and feelings of love, esp. idealized or sentimental love.
School. It consists of teachers and students that an individual interact with.
Social Factors. People live in either a multicultural or self society so this means there are many factors that affect or direct their lifestyle. These include family, peer relations, mass media, school and romantic involvement.
Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA). It is a program for students with potential talents in the Arts, namely, music, visual arts, theater arts, media arts, creative writing and dance.

Theoretical Framework
The basis of this study was from Urie Bronfenbrenner’s theory which linked a child’s social and environmental setting to how the child learns and develops. Bronfenbrenner was known for his research in child development and specifically for his Ecological Systems Theory. In this model, a person’s social setting is categorized as four different systems. These systems include a microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and a macrosystem. Later, a fifth system was added, known as the chronosystem Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
The microsystem is the small, immediate environment the child lives in. Children 's microsystems will include any immediate relationships or organizations they interact with, such as their immediate family or caregivers and their school or daycare. How these groups or organizations interact with the child will have an effect on how the child grows; the more encouraging and nurturing these relationships and places are, the better the child will be able to grow. Furthermore, how a child acts or reacts to these people in the microsystem will affect how they treat her in return. Each child 's special genetic and biologically influenced personality traits, what is known as temperament, end up affecting how others treat them. This idea will be discussed further in a later document about child temperament.
Bronfenbrenner 's next level, the mesosystem, describes how the different parts of a child 's microsystem work together for the sake of the child. For example, if a child 's caregivers take an active role in a child 's school, such as going to parent-teacher conferences and watching their child 's soccer games, this will help ensure the child 's overall growth. In contrast, if the child 's two sets of caretakers, mom with step-dad and dad with step-mom, disagree how to best raise the child and give the child conflicting lessons when they see him, this will hinder the child 's growth in different channels.
The exosystem level includes the other people and places that the child herself may not interact with often herself but that still have a large affect on her, such as parents ' workplaces, extended family members, the neighborhood, etc. For example, if a child 's parent gets laid off from work, that may have negative effects on the child if her parents are unable to pay rent or to buy groceries; however, if her parent receives a promotion and a raise at work, this may have a positive effect on the child because her parents will be better able to give her physical needs.
Bronfenbrenner 's final level is the macrosystem, which is the largest and most remote set of people and things to a child but which still has a great influence over the child. The macrosystem includes things such as the relative freedoms permitted by the national government, cultural values, the economy, wars, etc. These things can also affect a child either positively or negatively.
Bronfenbrenner’s theory shows educators that a student’s environment is a key factor in how they develop. Not only do the teachers play a part of the environment, but so do friends, family, administrators, neighbors, and many more.

Figure 1. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory

Conceptual Framework

The diagram (Figure 2) shows the social factors that influence a student. These social factors include family, peer relations, media, school and romantic involvement. It also displays the students’ academic performance in terms of GPA. The study focused on how the social factors affect the academic performance of the Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts students of Imus National High School.
The researcher determined the influence and the relationship of social factors to the students’ academic performance that served as a basis for Socio-Academic Scale.

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Social Factors Affecting the Students’ Academic Performance * Family * Peer Relations * Media * School * Romantic Involvement

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Socio-Academic Scale

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Students’ Academic Performance in terms of Grade Point Average

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Figure 2. Research Paradigm

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents related studies and related literature which specifically deal with the social factors affecting the academic performance of special enhancement classes in the arts students of Imus National High School.

Related Studies
Academic performance is an excellent measure of the transfer of knowledge in modern society. Some variables of interaction can be studied. Student cults are an academic impediment and perhaps an outright evil. Romantic relationships having the highest impact, and may be a psychological barrier to an effective learning process. Excessive sporting activities and involvement in clubs and organizations may pose a threat, but an insignificant one (Umar, Shaib, Aituisi, Yakubu, and Bada, 2010).
In her investigations of the family and personal profile of high and low achievers among high school students of Antique, Mondejar (1990) found that majority of the high achievers were those students who stayed in their parents. A number of low achievers lived with their relatives for free board and lodging. She attributed her findings to the idea that those who stayed with their parents often received better direct support and follow up compared to those who did not live with their families.
It supported the study conducted by Shui Fong Lam that investigated the relationships among family structure, socioeconomic status, authoritative parenting, and children 's academic achievement in a sample of 181 eighth graders in 2 inner-city schools in the Midwestern United States, results revealed that children 's academic achievement has been shown to be influenced by many family factors, including family structure, socioeconomic status, and parenting styles.
According to Marjoribanks (1985), attitudes and aspirations of peers affect the individual effort and achievement in school. Natriello and Mcdill (1986) stated that expectations and standards also affect individual effort and achievement in school. Although peer influence is considered an important factor in most adolescent behaviors, educational aspirations are one area where parents’ influence is more important than peer influence (Davies & Kandel, 1981). Parents are more influential than peers on plans for future schooling, but peers are more influential than parents in the immediate daily aspects of education such as attitude towards school and effort on homework (Steinberg & Brown, 1989). Furthermore, positive support from parents may offset any negative influence of peers on school performance, and supportive peers may similarly provide offsetting effects on negative parental influences (Steinberg & Brown, 1989).
According to Erik Erikson (1997), adolescence is a period of rapid change- physical, physiological, psychological and social. As adolescent steps into a new stage of life; peers always come into the picture; adolescent period is not just simply achieving one’s final height, or achieving his sexual maturity. In the adolescent period, a person experiences different series of events that are initiated by his own body and some initiated by people around him. These people we call peers.
Peer pressure has always been a factor in the social adjustment of an individual during adolescence. A study made by Gapuz and Villaverde (2002) revealed that there is a significant relationship between social adjustment which involves peer pressure of students and academic performance.
A growing body of literature indicates that problematic peer relations in childhood and adolescence are predictive of both academic and behavioral problems in school (Kohlberg, LaCrosse, & Ricks, 1972; Kupersmidt, Coie, & Dodge, 1990; Parker & Asher, 1987).
When students experience a sense of belonging at school and supportive relationships with teachers and classmates, they are motivated to participate actively and appropriately in the life of the classroom (Anderman & Anderman, 1999; Birch & Ladd, 1997; Skinner & Belmont, 1993). Students’ sense of belonging at school has been linked both to engaged versus disaffected school identities and to learning outcomes (Battistich, Solomon, Watson, & Schaps, 1997; Skinner, Zimmer-Gembeck, & Connell, 1998).

Related Literature

Education is the most potent force in initiating change. It geared towards the right direction it can produce within a couple of decades a generation of new breed people who are truly Filipinos, nationalistic, progressive and God-fearing. The influence of education is very strong and is unabated so that when used favorably towards national change, the task becomes easier (Balanque, 1995). Education must tap the wide array of educational technologies and communication media that bring about an unprecedent information evaluation in the world (UNICEF, 1990). This is one of the greatest challenges parents have to face as they meet the new millennium. Many changes are sure to rise, may it be pertaining to morals, standards, principles, and priorities. Social relationships are the contexts in which knowledge and expertise are acquired and consolidated (Hartup, 1986; Hinde, Perret-Clermont, & Stevenson-Hinde, 1985). Hartup (1989) has distinguished two broad classes of relationships that are presumably culturally universal: vertical (between individuals of differing knowledge and social power) and horizontal (between individuals of similar knowledge and social power). These two kinds of relationships have consistently been shown to serve different functions in children’s development. Although some psychologists equate Vygotskian notions with vertical relationships and Piagetian notions with horizontal relationships, many important questions are hybrids of these theoretical stances (Musatti, 1986). For example, we would like to know what kinds of cognitive conflict might be engendered in the expert who apprentices, scaffolds, or guides the skill acquisition of the novice. How does a mother’s knowledge change by participating in her child’s development? On the other hand, we would also like to know how two novices jointly solving a problem scaffold one another (cf. Brown & Palincsar, 1989; Ellis & Rogoff, 1986). Seldom, if ever, do two learners know precisely the same thing at the same time, even in horizontal relationships. How do children monitor, support, and challenge one another in their respective momentary zones of competence when they work and play together? Although vertical and horizontal relationships contribute differently to development, the social processes that affect change are not given by the form of the relationship alone. Children themselves contribute differently to both vertical and horizontal relationships as they develop. In so doing, they systematically change the context or the relationships in which they participate.
Children’s social adjustment has a profound impact on their making a successful transition to school, including perceptions of school (liking or disliking), involvement in school (increased or avoidance of participation), and performance (doing well or not doing well) (Birch & Ladd, 1998). Role models play an important part in student motivation to succeed in school. Role models provide students with an adult to admire and emulate. For many involuntary minorities, academically and economically successful role models are particularly important because they come from communities where, due to poverty and discrimination, there are not enough successful role models. Students need to be exposed through mentoring programs and other ways to members of their own groups who are academically and professionally successful and who retain their minority identity. Successful minorities who are seen as having abandoned their cultural identity to succeed in the “white world” will not be very useful models (Ogbu & Simons, 1998).
Family education is a factor that tends to enhance at-risk infants’ future performance. When families are provided with general family support, including helping parents learn specific knowledge and skills related to positive infant development, in later years, school performance improves and tends to be stable (Wasik, Ramey, Bryant, & Sparling, 1990)
The family is still the child’s first school where he gets his first education. What he sees, hears, and experiences in the home contributes to a large extent to his concepts of what is good or bad, right or wrong. In this regard, parents are his first teachers. How well they educate him significantly affects his character and outlook in life.
Peers can have a positive influence on an adolescent’s behavior. They can encourage positive study habits and getting good grades, involvement in community service, or abstention from drinking (Newcomb & Keefe, 1997). Other researchers have found that peer influences during junior and senior high school seem to be generally positive, with encouragement to engage in prosocial behaviors exceeding that for misconduct or inappropriate activities (Grusec & Kucynski, 1997).
According to Sonsona (2007), students nowadays have a wide and varied exposure to the different forms of media, such that their media habits and preferences vary according to their needs. Their choices and preferences may have a significant impact on their academic performance. Given the prominence of mass media like that of electronic media in the students’ lives, it is reasonable to be concerned about the potential effects of media to their academic performance. Mass media affects can be positive or negative (Walsh, Golman, & Brown, 1996). In one study, increase in media usage (in terms of amount) is correlated with poorer social relationships, fewer social interactions, lower reading scores, and poorer school achievements (Dorr & Rubin, 1995: Stanford Institute for Quantitative Study of Society: 2000). However, increased usage of educational media has been shown to have beneficial effects (e.g. Avery, 1991).
In a study conducted by Sonsona (2007), it was found out that among TV, radio, electronic media and print, only electronic media showed a significant influence on academic performance of students. This fairly implies that electronic medium has a positive bearing on the students’ academic performance. This positive effect can be attributed to the way students use this technology. The study further reveals that students use the electronic medium for research-related materials. Besides, internet café’s are situated near colleges and universities that provide venues for students’ academic work. Furthermore, according to Reuters (2003), internet serves as a primary medium for information and is accessible among the young people of today. Similarly, during the 2004 4th World Summit on Media for Children and Adolescents, it reported that:

The internet has been gaining popularity among young people, though at a much slower pace than television and radio. In spite of significant differences among the developed and developing world, the use of computers and the internet is rising steadily, fastest among young men.

Moreover it also noted that:
Nevertheless, even in countries where internet and computer use is low, young people actively seek access whenever possible, most often in internet cafes. Young people are enthusiastic about the internet because, more than any other medium, it helps them establish contact with the outside world and freely seek information.
Perhaps it is ‘free’ access to information that also accounts for the higher levels of trust young people (and adults as well) often place in information on the web than in information from traditional media.

A new concept in media use emerged and this is called multi-tasking. Sachoff (2006) reported a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation says that teens and kids do their fair share of media multitasking. One area that sees the least multitasking is TV. 55 percent of the time teens are not multitasking while watching TV. The same goes for video games. The activity that has the most multitasking involved is e-mail.

When young people are engaging in computer related activities like looking at a Web site or instant messaging they are multitasking around two thirds of the time. When using e-mail they are multitasking nearly 80 percent of the time. According to the study young people’s secondary activity while watching TV is eating or doing chores. While using a computer they are more likely to listen to music or watch TV. Romantic relationships represent an important but relatively understudied aspect of adolescent peer relations. This is surprising given that by age 16 most adolescents have had a romantic relationship (Carver, Joyner, & Udry, 2003). These relationships represent a normative aspect of development and may be beneficial to adolescents’ emotional functioning. They provide social support, enhance self-esteem, and prepare adolescents for adult relationships and the development of intimacy (Collins, 2003; Connolly & Goldberg, 1999)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research procedures that were used in this study are presented in the following sections: Research Design; Participants and Sampling Technique; Time and Place of the Study; Data Gathering Procedure; Instrumentation; and Methods of Analysis

Research Design

This study utilized the descriptive correlational method of research to determine the relationship of the social factors to the academic performance of Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School.

Participants and Sampling Technique
The data and information in this study were obtained and gathered from the total population of 84 students who were officially enrolled in the Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) of Imus National High School during the school year 2012 to 2013. The Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) is a program for students with potential talents in the arts, namely, music, visual arts, theater arts, media arts, creative writing and dance. The program offers a comprehensive secondary education centered in the arts, covering a range of art forms and disciplines.
The researcher opted to use the purposive sampling technique in gathering data from the SECA students of Imus National High School since the sample being investigated is a special type of population. All of the 84 SECA students were totally enumerated. Purposive sampling technique is a type of nonprobability sampling in which the researcher consciously selects specific elements or subjects for inclusion in a study in order to ensure that the elements will have certain characteristics relevant to the study.

Time and Place of the Study
This study utilized Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts Students who were enrolled in school year 2012 - 2013 as participants for this study. A total population of 84 participants was covered in this study. The list of students was obtained from the records of the class advisers. The researcher gathered all the data from January to March 2013 for more comprehensive information that accumulated first grading to third grading period.

Data Gathering Procedure
The respondents of the study were personally approached by the researchers after the approval from the thesis adviser and the school principal. The questionnaires were provided and distributed to the SECA students of Imus National High School acting as participants. Retrieval followed after giving the participants enough time to accomplish the questionnaire within the day.
Primary source of data were gathered straight from the respondents. After the collection of data, tabulation and interpretation of the questionnaire followed.
Secondary source of data for the study were obtained through interview of key consultants (i.e. school administrators and class advisers).
Instrumentation
After a thorough library exploration, the researcher listed down the social factors that affect the academic performance of students. The questionnaire was a self-made test which was named Social Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of SECA Students. This was validated by Mr. Ivan Brian L. Inductivo, Ms. Babylyn Rosanes-Mercado and Dr. Cecilia Babaan-Banaag last February 27, 2013 at Cavite State University Main Campus. The questionnaire that was distributed consisted of six parts. The first part consisted of the demographic profile of the participants; the second part was all about family factor; the third was on peer relations; fourth was on media, the fifth part was all about school domain and the last part was all about romantic involvement. This study used the Likert scale for survey questionnaire.

Numerical Value Interpretation Mean Interval 1 Never 1.00 -1.79 2 Seldom 1.80 - 2.59 3 Sometimes 2.50 - 3.39 4 Often 3.40 – 4.19 5 Always 4.20 – 5.00

To know the degree of influence of social factors to the students’ academic performance, researcher provided the verbal interpretation of the value of her scale.

Mean Value Interpretation 1 Never Very low influence 2 Seldom Low influence 3 Sometimes Moderate Influence 4 Often High Influence 5 Always Very high influence

Methods of Analysis
Several basic types of tests were used to answer the specific problems in this study. The data were treated using percentage, Pearson product-moment correlation and chi square test of independence. a. Percentage. The percentage was used to determine the demographic profile of the participants in terms of age, gender, monthly income and grade point average.
This is a descriptive statistical term which shows the relationship between two sizes, or the relationship of a part of its whole. The formula is: f *
% = --------------------- 100
N
Where:
% = percentage distribution f = frequency distribution n = number of respondents b. Pearson Product-moment Correlation
Correlational Analysis was used to know if there was a significant relationship between the social factors and the academic performance.
Formula of Pearson R:

c. Chi Square Test of Independence. – a statistical method used to test whether the classification of data ascribe to chance or to some underlying law. The Chi-square test is intended to test how likely it is that an observed distribution is due to chance. It measures how well the observed distribution of data fits with the distribution that is expected if the variables are independent. It was used to test the relationship between academic performance and romantic involvement.

d. Multiple Regression Analysis. – a statistical method used to test the effects of n independent (predictor) variables on a single dependent (criterion) variable. This method was used to know the most dominant social factor that affects the students’ academic performance.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the results, analysis and interpretation of data gathered regarding the social factors affecting the academic performance of Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts students of Imus National High School.

Table 1 illustrates the frequency distribution of INHS-SECA students in terms of age. The table shows that 55.95% (47) of the participants were at the age of 13. More so, 29.76% (25) were at the age of 12. 10.71% (9) of the participants were in the 14 years old group. Three out of total participants were at the age of 15 years old.
Majority of the SECA students who were key participants to the survey questionnaire were from age of 13 years old.

Table 1. Frequency distribution of participants by age AGE | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | 13 | 47 | 55.95 | 1 | 12 | 25 | 29.76 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 10.71 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 3.57 | 4 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

Table 2 presents the frequency distribution of INHS-SECA students in terms of gender. The table above shows that that 60.71% (51) out of the 84 are female, while the 39.29% (33) are male.

Table 2. Frequency distribution of participants by gender GENDER | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | Female | 51 | 60.71 | 1 | Male | 33 | 39.29 | 2 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

Table 3 shows the frequency distribution of INHS-SECA students in terms of parents’ monthly income. From the above table, it shows that majority of the participants had a monthly income of 1,000 to 5,000 which is equivalent to 29.76% (25) while 27.38% (23) of them had 6,000 to 10,000 monthly income. The subjects who have parents with 11,000 to 15,000 monthly income were 17.86% (15). 13.10% (11) of the participants were from the group with 16,000 to 20,000 monthly income while 11.90% (10) of them had 21,000 and above monthly income.

Table 3. Frequency distribution of participants by parents’ monthly income MONTHLYINCOME | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | 1,000-5,000 | 25 | 29.76 | 1 | 6,000-10,000 | 23 | 27.38 | 2 | 11,000 – 15,000 | 15 | 17.86 | 3 | 16,000 – 20,000 | 11 | 13.10 | 4 | Above 21,000 | 10 | 11.90 | 5 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

Table 4 shows the frequency distribution of INHS-SECA students by GPA. The table reveals that 58.33% (49) of the participants had GPA of 85-88. In addition, 38.10% (32) of them had GPA of 89-92 while those who were in the group of 93-96 were 2.38% (2). Lastly, only one belonged to the 81-84 GPA.

Table 4. Frequency distribution of participants by GPA GPA | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | 85-88 | 49 | 58.33 | 1 | 89-92 | 32 | 38.10 | 2 | 93-96 | 2 | 2.38 | 3 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

The table shows that 71.43% (60) of the participants were highly influenced by their family. 16.67% (14) of them were moderately influenced by their family. Moreover, 7.14% (6) of them said that family had very high influence to them and lastly, 4.76% (4) of the participants got low influence from their family.
It supported the study conducted by Shui Fong Lam who investigated the relationships among family structure, socioeconomic status, authoritative parenting, and children 's academic achievement in a sample of 181 eight graders in 2 inner-city schools in the Midwestern United States. Results revealed that children 's academic achievement had been shown to be influenced by many family factors, including family structure, socioeconomic status, and parenting styles.

Table 5. Degree of influence of social factor in terms of family FAMILY | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | High | 60 | 71.43 | 1 | Moderate | 14 | 16.67 | 2 | Very High | 6 | 7.14 | 3 | Low | 4 | 4.76 | 4 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

Note: Very Low = 1.00 – 1.79 Low = 1.80 – 2.59
Moderate = 2.60 – 3.39 High = 3.40 – 4.19 Very High = 4.20 – 5.00

Table 6 presents that 71.43% (60) of the participants were highly influenced by their peers. In addition, 21.43% (18) of them were moderately influenced while 4.76% (4) of the participants had very high influence from their peers. Lastly, 2.38% (2) of them had low influence from their peers.
According to Marjoribanks (1985), attitudes and aspirations of peers affect the individual effort and achievement in school. Natriello and Mcdill (1986) stated that expectations and standards also affect individual effort and achievement in school. Although peer influence is considered an important factor in most adolescent behaviors, educational aspirations are one area where parents’ influence is more important than peer influence (Davies & Kandel, 1981). Parents are more influential than peers on plans for future schooling, but peers are more influential than parents in the immediate daily aspects of education such as attitude towards school and effort on homework (Steinberg & Brown, 1989).

Table 6. Degree of influence of social factor in terms of peer relations PEERS | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | High | 60 | 71.43 | 1 | Moderate | 18 | 21.43 | 2 | Very High | 4 | 4.76 | 3 | Low | 2 | 2.38 | 4 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

The table reveals that those participants who were highly influenced by media were 58.33% (49). 29.76% (25) of them were moderately influenced while 9.52% (8) of them got low influence from media. Participants who got very high influence from media were 2.38% (2).
The results supported the study of Sonsona (2007), which found out that among TV, radio, electronic media and print only electronic media showed a significant influence on academic performance of students.

Table 7. Degree of influence of social factor in terms of media MEDIA | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | High | 49 | 58.33 | 1 | Moderate | 25 | 29.76 | 2 | Low | 8 | 9.52 | 3 | Very high | 2 | 2.38 | 4 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

The table implies that school had a high influence to 67.86% (57) of the participants. In addition, 17.86% (15) of them had very high influence from school domain while 13.10% (11) of them were moderately influenced. Only one (1.19%) of the participants got low influence from school.
When students experience a sense of belonging at school and supportive relationships with teachers and classmates, they are motivated to participate actively and appropriately in the life of the classroom (Anderman & Anderman, 1999; Birch & Ladd, 1997; Skinner & Belmont, 1993). Students’ sense of belonging at school has been linked both to engaged versus disaffected school identities and to learning outcomes (Battistich, Solomon, Watson, & Schaps, 1997; Skinner, Zimmer-Gembeck, & Connell, 1998).

Table 8. Degree of influence of social factor in terms of school SCHOOL | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | High | 57 | 67.86 | 1 | Very High | 15 | 17.86 | 2 | Moderate | 11 | 13.10 | 3 | Low | 1 | 1.19 | 4 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

The table below shows that 77.38% (65) of the participants were not romantically involved while 22.62% (19) of them were romantically involved.

Table 9. Romantic involvement of the participants ROMANTIC INVOLVEMENT | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | No | 65 | 77.38 | 1 | Yes | 19 | 222.6 | 2 | TOTAL | 84 | 100.00 | |

The table presents that from the 19 participants who were romantically involved, 42.11% (8) of them said that they were highly influenced by their partners. 31.58% (6) of them were moderately influenced while 21.05% (4) of the participants got low influence from their partners. Only one of them got a very high influence from his/her partner.
Romantic relationships become increasingly significant in the lives of young people as they move from early to late adolescence. Although dating has not yet begun, in early adolescence (ages 10-14) most youth are very preoccupied with romantic issues. Youth at this age spend significant amounts of time in mixed-gender groups that intensify their romantic interest and may eventually lead to romantic relationships (Connolly, Craig, Goldberg, & Pepler, 2004). Romantic relationships are central to social life during middle to late adolescence (ages 15-19).

Table 10. Degree of influence of social factor in terms of romantic involvement ROMANTIC INVOLVEMENT | FREQUENCY | PERCENTAGE | RANK | High | 8 | 42.11 | 1 | Moderate | 6 | 31.58 | 2 | Low | 4 | 21.05 | 3 | Very High | 1 | 5.26 | 4 | TOTAL | 19 | 100.00 | |

Table 11 shows the correlation analysis between academic performance and social factors (family, peer relations, media and school). The Pearson product-moment correlation was used.
The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and family was 0.2081 with associated p-value equals 0.575. This indicates that there was no significant relationship between the two sets of variables.
The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and peer relations was 0.3884, indicating that there was positive but weak relationship between the two sets of variables. The associated p-value of correlation coefficient was 0.003 indicating that the strength of relationship was significant. A study made by Gapuz and Villaverde (2002) also revealed that there was a significant relationship between peer pressure of students and academic performance.
The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and media was 0.0727 with associated p-value equals 0.5112. This indicates that there is no significant relationship between the two sets of variables.
The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and school domain was 0.2675, indicating that there was positive but weak relationship between the two sets of variables. The associated p-value of correlation coefficient was 0.0139 indicating that the strength of relationship was significant. It is well established that the quality of children’s relationships with their teachers in the early grades has important implications for children’s concurrent and future academic and behavioral adjustment (Howes, Hamilton, & Matheson, 1994; Hughes, Cavell, & Jackson, 1999; Meehan, Hughes, & Cavell, 2003; Pianta, Steinberg, & Rollins, 1995).

Table 11. Correlation analysis of academic performance with social factors

RELATIONSHIP | CORRELATIONCOEFFICIENT | P-VALUE | SIGNIFICANCE | Performance and Family | 0.2081 | 0.0575 | Not Significant | Performance and Peer | 0.3884 | 0.0003 | Significant | Performance and Media | 0.0727 | 0.5112 | Not Significant | Performance and School | 0.2675 | 0.0139 | Significant |
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level

Table 12 presents the relationship between romantic involvement and academic performance using chi-square test of independence. The table shows that those who were not romantically involved got higher grades than those who were romantically involved. One of the participants who was romantically involved had a grade of 81 to 84 which were the lowest. 15 of them were from the range of 85-88 while only three belonged to the group which had 89-92 GPA. For those who were not romantically involved, 34 of them were from the range of 85-88 while 29 of them were in the range of 89-92. Two of the participants who were not romantically involved had the highest GPA of 93-96. It implies that those who were not romantically involved had higher grades than those who were involved. The computed correlation coefficient indicates that there was a relationship between romantic involvement and performance.
There is a negative relationship between romantic relationships and academic performance, meaning a unit increase in romantic relationships among student about 9.16 percent decrease in the academic performance. (Umar, Shaib, Aituisi, Yakubu, and Bada, 2010).

Table 12. Relationship between romantic involvement and academic performance using chi-square test of independence

ROMANTICINVOLVEMENT | ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF GPA | TOTAL | RANK | | 81-84 | 85-88 | 89-92 | 93-96 | | | No | 0 | 34 | 29 | 2 | 65 | 1 | Yes | 1 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 2 | Total | 1 | 49 | 32 | 2 | 84 | |
Pearson chi2(3) = 9.0012 Pr = 0.029

The table below shows the result of multiple regression analysis for academic performance as dependent variable and peers, school and romantic involvement as explanatory variables. The beta coefficient obtained from peers was 0.30. It indicates that a one unit increase in peers corresponds about 0.30 units increase in the academic performance, holding the other variables constant. On the other hand, the beta coefficient obtained from school was 0.13. It indicates that a one unit increase in school corresponds about 0.13 units increase in the academic performance. The beta coefficient obtained from romantic involvement was 0.39, indicating that a one unit increase in romantic involvement corresponds about 0.39 units increase in the academic performance.
The table below shows that the factor affecting performance the most was romantic involvement, having a coefficient of 0.392778.
Romantic relationships having the highest impact, and may be a psychological barrier to an effective learning process. (Umar, Shaib, Aituisi, Yakubu, and Bada, 2010).

Table 13. Multiple regression analysis, (Performance as dependent variable)

| COEFFICIENT | T | P>|t| | Peers | .3046069 | 2.02 | 0.047 | School | .1267847 | 0.85 | 0.397 | Romantic Involvement | .392778 | 2.90 | 0.005 | Constant | .5240973 | 0.95 | 0.343 |

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations based on the data gathered regarding the social factors affecting the academic performance of Special enhancement classes in the arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School.

Summary of Findings
This study was conducted to determine and analyze the social factors affecting the academic performance of Special enhancement classes in the arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School. Specifically, this study determined the following research objectives: 1) To determine the academic performance of the Special enhancement classes in the arts students of Imus National High School in terms of Grade Point Average; 2) To identify the degree of influence that SECA students get from the social factors such as family, peer relations, media, school and romantic involvement; 3) To identify if the social factors correlate with the students’ academic performance; and 4) To determine the most dominant social factor that affects the students’ academic performance.
The descriptive correlational design was used in this study. The data were gathered using the self-made questionnaire that consisted of six parts. The first part consisted of the demographic profile of the respondents; the second part was all about family factor; the third was on peer relations; fourth was on media, the fifth part was all about school domain and the last part was all about romantic involvement. The participants were the 84 students of Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) of Imus National High School. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, Pearson product-moment correlation, chi square test of independence and multiple regression analysis were used to satisfy the objectives of the study.
The participants of this study who were the Special enhancement classes in the arts (SECA) students were mainly 13 years old from the total of 84. Majority of parents’ monthly income ranged from 1,000 to 5,000 pesos. Based on the frequency distribution of participants, most of the SECA students had GPA ranging from 85 to 88.
Results of the survey revealed that majority of the participants said that all of the social factors (family, peer relations, media, academics and romantic involvement) have high influence on their academic performance. The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and family indicates that there was no significant relationship between the two sets of variables. The results also implied that there was positive but weak relationship between academic performance and peer relations. The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and media indicates that there was no significant relationship between the two sets of variables. The results also implied that there was positive but weak relationship between academic performance and school domain. The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and romantic involvement implied that there was a relationship between the two sets of variables. It was also revealed that the most dominant factor affecting academic performance was the romantic involvement.

Conclusions
Based on the above findings, the researcher therefore conclude that majority of the participants were 13 years of age, mostly are female and parents’ monthly income were ranging from 1,000 to 5,000. All the social factors (family, peer relations, media, academics and romantic involvement) have high influence to the students’ academic performance. It supported the theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979) that shows educators that a student’s social and environmental setting are key factors in how they develop.
The computed correlation coefficient between academic performance and social factors reveal that only peer relations, school and romantic involvement have a significant relationship to the academic performance. It implies that these 3 factors might become an academic impediment or psychological barrier to an effective learning process.
It was revealed that the most dominant factor affecting academic performance was the romantic involvement. This is in support of a previous study conducted by Umar, et. al. in 2010, that advanced that romantic relationships have the highest impact on student’s academic performance (Umar, Shaib, Aituisi, Yakubu, and Bada, 2010).

Recommendations
On the basis of findings, the researcher would like to suggest for the students to learn to manage their time effectively in order to balance all the other aspects of their life especially with regards to their academic performance since the results of the survey revealed that majority of the participants said that all of the social factors (family, peer relations, media, academics and romantic involvement) have high influence on their academic performance
The researcher also suggests for the students to prioritize their studies first or to properly manage their time with their romantic partners since it has been proven that there was a significant relationship between romantic involvement and academic performance and that those who were romantically involved had lower grades than those who were not involved. Peer tutoring is also suggested for the teachers since it has been proven in the study that peer relations and school had a significant relationship to the students’ academic performance.
Since school administrators are responsible for the education of young people, a particular dedication to and understanding of the student’s needs is essential. School administrators should provide training that includes current, research-based strategies for effective instruction and classroom management.
Lastly, for the future researchers, the researcher further suggests to use participants from other schools which also offers Special Program in the Arts (SPA) since this study is only confined to Special Enhancement Classes in the Arts (SECA) students of Imus National High School; to utilize a larger sample size and to add more social factors that may affect the students’ academic performance such as religion.

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